Peri-Vascular Lattice Degeneration

74-year-old female who underwent recent epiretinal membrane peel in the right eye. Intraoperatively, she was found to have several small retinal tears in the periphery which were lasered for prophylaxis.

Lattice Degeneration

Histopathologically represents localized areas of inner retinal atrophy with loss of the internal limiting membrane, adherent vitreous to the edges of the lesion with an overlying pocket of liquefied vitreous, and sclerosis of the remaining retinal vessels.

Lattice degeneration is seen in approximately 10% of the population, but rarely leads to rhegmatogenous retinal detachments.

However, lattice degeneration is present in 20-40% of rhegmatogenous detachments.

Radial Perivascular Lattice Degeneration

Lattice lesions with retinal thinning and pigmentary disturbances along retinal vessels may be referred to as radial perivascular chorioretinal degeneration.

Typically seen more posteriorly along retinal vessels in comparison to traditional peripheral lattice degeneration.

May be an incidental finding, as in this case, or seen with hereditary vitreoretinal degenerations such as Stickler syndrome in which there is a high risk for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

References

Byer NE. Long-term natural history of lattice degeneration of the retina. Ophthalmology 1989;96:1396-1402.